The Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate diet developed by Robert Atkins M.D. The diet is unique in that calories and fat grams are not counted and considered unimportant. Only carbohydrates are counted. If you're tired of counting calories and agonizing over fat, you might be considering the Atkins diet. Consult your physician before embarking on the Atkins diet or any other weight loss approach.
Atkins Diet Guidelines
All Atkins dieters start in the Induction phase, which lasts a minimum of two weeks. The Induction menu is limited only to items listed on the allowed foods list, which include a variety of full-fat cheeses, whole eggs, butter, cream, meat and a limited number of non-starchy vegetables, such as lettuce, celery and bok choy. You must restrict your carbohydrate intake to 20 g per day during Induction. After Induction, you move on to the Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase. During this phase, you add 5 g of carbohydrates per day to your meal plan each week consecutive week. For example, 25 g of carbohydrates are allowed during the first OWL week, 30 g of carbohydrates are permitted during the second OWL week, 35 g of carbohydrates are permitted during the third OWL week and so on. You stop adding carbohydrates to your diet when your weight loss slows to approximately 1 lb. per week.
Factors of Weight Loss
Ultimately, weight loss requires that you consume fewer calories per day than your body burns. The Atkins diet results in weight loss for many people because the total number of calories you consume is reduced because you no longer consume a variety of foods such as potato chips, candy, pasta, rice, French fries and mashed potatoes. Since Atkins does not require calorie counting, the amount of weight that you lose varies widely based upon your food choices while on the Atkins diet. Metabolic rate -- and, therefore, weight loss -- is also impacted by age, gender, health and exercise.
Atkins Weight Loss
In his book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution," Atkins notes that most dieters lose 10 percent of their excess weight during the first two weeks of Induction. For example, if you are 100 lbs. overweight, Atkins suggests you'll lose approximately 10 lbs. during Induction, whereas if you have only 50 lbs. to lose, you'll likely lose approximately 5 lbs. Weight loss is supposed to gradually slow down during the OWL phase. Atkins states that most people lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week during the OWL phase.
Considerations
The Atkins diet is controversial in the medical community. According to "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies," whenever a diet requires you to drastically limit your consumption of fruits and vegetables, it should serve as a red flag that it is likely not a balanced diet. Fruits and many vegetables are limited on the Atkins diet due to their carbohydrate contents. Meet with a dietitian if you are struggling to develop a balanced diet and build a healthy menu.
References
- "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution"; Robert C. Atkins MD; 2002
- "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies"; Frances Sizer; 2008
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